Liverpool is a major city in England (2001 population: 440,000). The town was
very prosperous in the 1700s and 1800s. Although the industries on which it depended
declined in the 20th century, recently it has been enjoying a revival. It has
been chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2008: this is expected to bring
additional investment and tourism to the city.

On the banks of the River Mersey in the Albert Dock are some beautiful buildings
called the Port of Liverpool Building, the Royal Liver Building, and the Cunard
Building, all of which are connected with the shipping business. The River Mersey
used to be a busy trade route.

Liverpool was one of the key ports used for the slave trade: many Africans slaves
were transported to the Caribbean to work on sugar plantations. The slave trade
had a big effect on the local economy: much of the money used to construct the
magnificent buildings in the city came from this source.

The river leads into the Irish Sea. Many Irish people came here when disease destroyed
the potato crops in Ireland (the "Irish potato famine") in the middle
of the 1800s - a large number of them travelled on to America, but others settled
here in Liverpool.

Ferries go both across to the other side of the river, and to Ireland and the
Isle of Man. There is a well-known song from the 1960s by Gerry and the Pacemakers
called "Ferry cross the Mersey".

The Beatles - John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr - all
grew up in Liverpool. This tour of Liverpool includes a visit to a museum called
"The Beatles Story" (on Gower Street, close to the Albert Docks). An
audio guide brings to life both the music and history of the Beatles. Allow at
least an hour to go to the museum and visit the Beatles shop.

The area of Liverpool around Mathew Street is known as the Cavern Quarter. The
Cavern Club was where the Beatles used to perform when they started as a local
band in the early 1960s (the original site has been replaced by a supermarket,
but a copy of the original has been created using the original bricks). A "wall
of fame" shows the names of the many bands which have performed at this club.
Another nearby display shows a series of gold discs, each one representing a pop
star from Liverpool who has reached number one in the UK charts (the disc shown
below is for the song "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood). The nearby
Cavern Pub has a Beatles theme, and has an image of John Lennon above its entrance.

The Cavern Quarter
(Mathew Street)

The Cavern Club:
where the Beatles used to perform

The Cavern Club's
Wall of Fame

Liverpool artists who have reached number 1
in the UK charts are shown on a gold disc

There are other sites in Liverpool which are associated with the Beatles.

In Chavasse Park there is a yellow submarine, based on the cartoon design in the
film "Yellow Submarine".

Many of the songs of the Beatles were inspired by places and people that were
familiar to John Lennon and Paul McCartney (the songwriters). The song "Penny
Lane" is about the people who lived in or around this road, which is in one
of the suburbs of Liverpool. Strawberry Field (the name used in the song "Strawberry
Fields forever") is a home for children in care (those who have been taken
away from their parents for some reason). This is run by the Salvation Army (a
Christian organisation which aims to help the poor). John Lennon used to play
with the band at Strawberry Field when he was a child.

The childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney (Mendips and 20 Forthlin
Road) are managed by the National Trust, who organise tours which allow visitors
to see inside the buildings.

Liverpool Football Club is one of the most famous teams in the UK. Its stadium
is called Anfield, named after the area where it is located. The stand behind
one of the goals - where the Liverpool supporters normally sit - is called The
Kop. The team's most famous player in recent years has been Michael Owen, who
used to play here in his Number 10 shirt (from August 2004 Michael started playing
for the Spanish club Real Madrid, and started playing for Newcastle in 2005).

Liverpool's football stadium

Michael Owen's number 10 shirt

Michael Owen

In front of the stadium is a statue of Bill Shankly, who was extremely successful
while he was the manager of the club.
There is a shop inside which selling lots of Liverpool football goods. You can
ask them to make a shirt with a name and number which you choose.

Liverpool also has another successful football club called Everton. The stadium
is known as Goodison Park (not far from the Kop). The most famous player in recent
years has been Wayne Rooney, who became very well-known after his performance
in the Euro 2004 championship. In August 2004 Wayne Rooney was sold by Everton
to the British team Manchester United.

The Anglican Cathedral is made of red sandstone and is built in a Gothic style.
It was completed in 1978, and is the largest Anglican cathedral in the world.
There is also a modern Roman Catholic cathedral (the large Irish community in
Liverpool is mainly Catholic).

There is a wide range of museums in Liverpool, and entrance for many of these
is free. Some of the most popular of these are the Walker Art Gallery, the Tate
Gallery Liverpool, the Liverpool Museum, the Maritime Museum and the Museum of
Liverpool Life. The International Slavery Museum opened in August 2007 in the
Albert Docks.

Lonely Planet verdict: Liverpool
"The city is in the midst of a major programme of urban redevelopment
... It's well worth making time to explore Liverpool properly. The Albert
Dock, Western Approaches Museum, twin cathedrals and city streets themselves
offer vivid testimony to the city's rugged history, while its nightlife
is rich and varied enough to guarantee almost anyone a good time"
(extracts from "Lonely Planet Great Britain - 2003 edition",
used with permission)